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Combined Bible Commentary

Ephesians 5:4

(5:4) "Obscenity" means invoking God's name in a declarative fashion, presuming to express His will towards another or some thing that you deal with. "Foolish talk" consists of words without foundation in truth or substance, i.e., words that express ideas contrary to the revealed will of God. "Coarse joking" are those expressions common among men that trivialize God in this world. Our speech should be liberally sprinkled with "thanksgiving". This should call to mind the admonition from Paul's letter to the believers in Corinth..."If an unbeliever bid you to a feast, and you are disposed to go, eat anything that is set before you, without asking questions for conscience' sake... for if I partake with thanksgiving, why then, am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?"

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See also Ephesians 5:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Ephesians 5:4. _NEITHER FILTHINESS_] αισχροτης. Any thing base or vile in words or acts. _FOOLISH TALKING_] μωρολογια. Scurrility, buffoonery, ridicule, or what tends to expose another to conte...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    NEITHER FILTHINESS - That is, obscene, or indecent conversation. Literally, that which is shameful, or deformed - αἰσχρότης aischrotēs. The word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. NOR F...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    3. THE WALK IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS Chapter S 4:17-5:21 _ 1. Not as the Gentiles walk (Ephesians 4:17)_ 2. The putting off and putting on (Ephesians 4:20) 3. Followers of God (Ephesians 5

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE WAY OF LIGHT AND THE WAY OF DARKNESS. There are other sins which among God's people, should be literally unmentionable fornication, uncleanness, coveting, filthiness, foolish speech, improper jest...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    You must become imitators of God, as well loved children imitate their father. You must live in love, as Christ loved you, and gave himself to God as a sacrifice and an offering, a sacrifice which was...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE IMITATION OF GOD (Ephesians 5:1-8)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    NEITHER. Nor. FILTHINESS. Greek. _aischrotes._ Only here. FOOLISH TALKING. Greek. _morologia._ Only here. NOR. or. JESTING. ribaldry. Occurs only here. CONVENIENT. befitting. Greek. _aneko._ Only...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    4. St Paul is still thinking of topics of conversation. ΑἸΣΧΡΌΤΗΣ is any discreditable action belonging to either of the excluded classes. Notice e.g. αἰοχροῦ κέρδους χάριν Titus 1:11. ΜΩΡΟΛΟΓΊΑ Ἢ ΕΥ...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    17–5:14. THE GREAT CONTRAST Ephesians 4:25 to Ephesians 5:14. THE CONTRAST IN DETAIL...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΑΊΣΧΡΌΤΗΣ (G151) постыдное поведение (Abbott; Barth). ΜΩΡΟΛΟΓΊΑ (G3473) нелепый, глупый разговор. Это разговор глупцов, который одновременно нелеп и греховен (Trench, Synonyms, 121), неразумный смех...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    NEITHER FILTHINESS, NOR FOOLISH TALKING, &C.— "Nor let there be among you anyshameful practices in secret, the very naming of which would put a modest person to the blush; nor any light, wanton, or ob...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _PREVIEWING IN OUTLINE FORM_ (EPHESIANS 5:3-20) 3. Walk as children of light. Ephesians 5:3-14. a. Things the children of light do not do. Ephesians 5:3-8 a. (1) Do no

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. FILTHINESS - in act or gesture. FOOLISH TALKING - the talk of fools: folly and sin tog...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    __ No Participation with Unbelievers 2 The sacrifice of Christ has many aspects. The opening Chapter s of Leviticus deal with these in detail. The sin and trespass offering seem to be entirely for m...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    5:4 foolish (n-4) Perhaps 'indecent.' jesting, (o-7) Used for 'buffoonery.' convenient; (p-11) 'Convenient' has the French sense of _ convenir_ (see Colossians 3:18 , Philemon 1:8 , 'fitting'), but no...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE OLD DARKNESS AND NEW LIGHT. RULES FOR THE MARRIED 1, 2. In close connexion with what precedes. 'It is the mark of beloved children to become imitators of a loving Father; practise the self-sacrif...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    CHRISTIAN BELIEF AND BEHAVIOUR EPHESIANS _LES PAINTER (BIBLE TEXT BY CYNTHIA GREEN)_ CHAPTER 5 5:1-14 ~ LOVE 5:1-7 ~ LIVE IN LOVE V1 You must try to be as much like God as you can. You are his...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    NEITHER FILTHINESS, NOR FOOLISH TALKING, NOR JESTING. — The word “filthiness” (unlike the “filthy communication” of the parallel passage in Colossians 3:8) is in itself a general word. But the connect...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (3_b_) Ephesians 5:3 warn, with even greater fulness and emphasis, against the sins of impurity and lust, as incompatible with membership of the kingdom of heaven, as works of darkness, impossible to...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 22 DOCTRINE AND ETHICS Ephesians 4:25; Ephesians 5:1 The homily that we have briefly reviewed in the last chapter demands further consideration. It affords a striking and instructive exampl...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    A paragraph ruled by the general idea of the imitation of God in the forgiving love which has been appealed to in the preceding verse. In the light of that Divine example Paul charges his readers to f...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    καὶ αἰσχρότης : _and filthiness_. This is taken by many (Eth., Theophyl., Oec., Rück., Harl., etc.) to refer to indecent _talk_, which, however, would be expressed by αἰσχρολογία (Colossians 3:8). The...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT Ephesians 5:1 It is indeed a high calling to imitate God and to walk in love after the measure of Christ; but it will be impossible unless we open our innermost heart to the...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    All that the apostle had been saying was emphasized by the statement of their relationship to God as he called them to be "imitators of God." Again he urged them to put off the old and put on the new....

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    Things Love Will Not Let One Do Those whose lives are directed by love will not indulge in any uncontrolled lusts, whether sexual or monetary in nature. Paul says even talking about such thoughts tend...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor (a) jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. (a) Jests which men cast at one another: that no lightness is seen, nor evil example g...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Nor obscenity. [2] What is here meant by this word, St. John Chrysostom tells us at large in the moral exhortation after his 17th homily; to wit, jests with immodest suggestions or a double meaning,...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (1) В¶ Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (2) And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savo...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    In this epistle we have the unfolding of the grace of God in all its fulness, not merely the application of His righteousness to man's need on His part, but God from out of Himself, and for Himself, a...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    I. INTRODUCTION A. As we return to the book of Ephesians, we continue our study on Christian behavior. 1. The Apostle Paul has just given the Ephesian Christians, (and us) a "list" of ungodly behavi...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    4._Neither filthiness. _To those three — other three are now added. By _filthiness _I understand all that is indecent or inconsistent with the modesty of the godly. By _foolish talking _I understand c...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Moreover, let us remark here, and it is an important feature in this picture of the fruits of grace and of the new man, that when the grace and love, which come down from God, act in man, they always...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    NEITHER FILTHINESS, NOR FOOLISH TALKING, NOR JESTING,.... The former of these may include all filthy gestures and behaviour, every indecent habit and attire, and all actions which have a tendency to e...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. Ver. 4. _Neither filthiness_] Borborology (rumblings?), ribaldry, _a_ the language of hell...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _But fornication_, &c. But any impure love, and any vice flowing therefrom, or connected therewith; _let it not be once named_ Or heard of; _among you_ Except with detestation. Keep at the utmost dist...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    FILTHINESS; obscenity in words or actions. NOT CONVENIENT; not fit, proper, useful. A grateful temper, and the habit of expressing it in thanksgiving to God, form a safeguard against temptation and a...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    A WARNING, PRINCIPALLY AGAINST THE SINS OF UNCLEANNESS. The imitation of God excludes uncleanness:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    NEITHER FILTHINESS, NOR FOOLISH TALKING, NOR JESTING, WHICH ARE NOT CONVENIENT, BUT RATHER GIVING OF THANKS....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    WALK IN LOVE (vs.1-7) Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 5 are closely connected with verse 32 of chapter 4. God's gracious character of love that delights to have us as His dear children is our example. The...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    CHAPTER 5 We must not follow the ways of the old man. We must be ______________ of God. He is our Father. We are his _____________. We must __________ in love because Christ loved us. He gave himsel...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    “NOR FILTHINESS, NOR FOOLISH TALKING, OR JESTING, WHICH ARE NOT BEFITTING: BUT RATHER GIVING OF THANKS” “Nor”: “Goes beyond immorality to vulgarity” _(Stott p. 192)._ These are to be included in those...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    3-14 Filthy lusts must be rooted out. These sins must be dreaded and detested. Here are not only cautions against gross acts of sin, but against what some may make light of. But these things are so f...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    NEITHER FILTHINESS; obscenity in discourse, _filthy communication,_ COLOSSIANS 3:8. NOR FOOLISH TALKING; affectation of foolish, vain speech, (whether jocose or serious), unprofitable, to the hearers....

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Irenaeus Against Heresies Book IV For as, in the New Testament, that faith of men [to be placed] in God has been increased, receiving in addition [to what was already revealed] the Son of God, that m...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ephesians 5:4 neither G2532 filthiness G151 nor G2532 talking G3473 nor G2228 jesting G2160 which G3588 are G433 not

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you as is becoming to those set apart, nor filthiness, nor foolish talking or jesting which are not befitting, but...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    _2. Precepts based upon the Self-sacrificing Love of Christ._ The connection of thought with chap. Ephesians 4:32 is very close; God's forgiving love is directly presented as a motive (‘therefore') fo...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Ephesians 5:4. NEITHER FILTHINESS, or, ‘obscenity;' whether of thought, word, or deed; in Colossians 3:8 the reference is to words. NOR FOOLISH TALKING; insipid, stupid speech, perhaps including mor...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    III. GENERAL CHRISTIAN DUTIES. This part of the Epistle is difficult to analyze. The ethical precepts are not arranged in any discoverable logical order. For convenience a division into two sections i...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    FILTHINESS (αισχροτης). Old word from αισχρος (base), here alone in N.T.FOOLISH TALKING (μωρολογια). Late word from μωρολογος (μωροσ, λογος), only here in N.T.JESTING (ευτραπελια). Old word from...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Ephesians 5:1. _Be ye therefore followers of God,_ Or, imitators of God,- Ephesians 5:1. _As dear children;_ Children are naturally imitators. They are usually inclined to imitate their father; thi...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Walk of the believer as God's child. The believer's warfare as filled with the Spirit. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Paul. CONCLUSION: As members of the family of God, it is our duty to put on...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ephesians 5:1. _Be ye followers of God as dear children,_ for children are expected to walk in their father's steps. He sends us rain and fruitful seasons, he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    FOR YOU TO USE. "Even the way you talk must show you belong to God!" OBSCENE. Deeply offensive to morality or decency. FOOLISH. Frivolous and senseless. But it may have the sense of _malicious gossip_...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks._ UNSEEMLY CONVERSATION “Filthiness”--impurity of act or speech, “foolish talking,” and “j...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EPHESIANS—NOTE ON EPHESIANS 5:4 THANKSGIVING, in contrast to CRUDE JOKING and FOOLISH TALK, is the positive way to speak. Thanksgiving can also be a cure for covetousness (see v....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EPHESIANS—NOTE ON EPHESIANS 5:1 New Life in Love. Paul gives general instructions for holy living. Purity of life comes from avoiding evil deeds and relationships and adopting holy practices....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES_ Ephesians 5:3. LET IT NOT BE ONCE NAMED.—After the things themselves are dead let their names never be heard. Ephesians 5:4. NOR JESTING.—“Chastened insolence,” as Ar...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION EPHESIANS 5:1 BE YE THEREFORE IMITATORS OF GOD, AS CHILDREN BELOVED. These words are closely connected with the preceding. In Ephesians 4:32 he had urged the example of God in one very mo...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn now in our Bibles to Ephesians, chapter 5. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children (Ephesians 5:1); Now, the therefore immediately points you back, back to the last verse of...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Thessalonians 3:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 1:11; 2 Corinthians 9:15;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Filthiness [α ι σ χ ρ ο τ η ς]. Obscenity. Foolish talking [μ ω ρ ο λ ο γ ι α]. Only here in the New Testament. Talk which is both foolish and sinful. Compare corrupt communication, ch. 4 29. It is mo...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    FOLLOWERS OF GOD Ephesians 5:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS The opening verse of today's chapter has a clear and clarion call to the children of God. It is something that we may not sidetrack or push aside....

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Nor foolish talking — Tittle tattle, talking of nothing, the weather, fashions, meat and drink. Or jesting — The word properly means, wittiness, facetiousness, esteemed by the heathens an half — virtu...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Here our apostle advises Christians to guard against the sins of the tongue, to avoid all filthy discourse, and all foolish discourse, all scurrilous and obscene jesting, all excess in drollery, which...

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Old Testament